What is Search Engine Advertising?

Search Engine Advertising, also known as SEA, is a marketing method where you place paid ads on search engines. These ads usually work with a pay-per-click (PPC) model, and Google Ads is the most widely used platform.  

For example, when you search for something on Google, you may notice one or two websites appearing above the top results with the label “Ad” next to them. This is an example of Search Engine Advertising.  

When you use Search Engine Advertising as one of your marketing strategies (SEA marketing), you’re advertising your company in the search results, sometimes above the organic results, the top-ranked pages. 

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is all the organic results you see below the Search Engine Advertising placements. When you work on your website’s SEO, you rank at the top of a search engine query organically without paying for your placement.  

One of the significant benefits of search engine advertising is that it provides you with immediate results. Unlike SEO, which takes time to build, your ads can appear at the top of the page as soon as your campaign goes live. However, keep in mind that this visibility only lasts as long as you continue paying for it. If you want to get the same results constantly, you will need to continue paying for the pay-per-click advertisements. 

Both SEO and SEA fall under the branch umbrella of Search Engine Marketing (SEM). This article will describe what SEA is and the benefits of SEA. 

SEA marketing

As mentioned, SEA marketing usually follows the pay-per-click (PPC) method. As this is the most common method, we’ll use it as the general example in this article. The Pay-Per-Click process starts with top bidders gaining the first spot at the top of a search engine query. 

The highest bidders can secure the top placements on search results pages and across the search engine’s distribution network. However, placement is not determined solely by the bid. Ads and their landing pages must also follow the platform’s quality guidelines. Search engines review and approve both the ad itself and the landing page.  

How does Search Engine Advertising work?

Similar to SEO, the first step to SEA is finding relevant keywords that can benefit your business. Thus, you must research keywords and find all the applicable terms related to your industry. Relevant keywords are important because you want your ad to respond to the users’ search query.  

Once you’ve finalised your keywords, you can write a draft for your landing page, which is the page that you’ll be advertising.  

As the next step, you need to figure out how much you want to pay once a user clicks on your ad. One of the significant benefits of SEA marketing is the advantage you’ll have over your competitors. If you’re willing to pay the right amount, you can stay at the top of every search engine query.

Thus, it’s important to consider your budget and develop an online marketing campaign that stands out to ensure that people stay on your website after clicking on your search engine advertising.  

Another benefit of SEA marketing is all the time you’ll save. With SEA marketing, you’ll grow your customer base and increase your brand recognition incredibly fast. 

6 aspects you must consider

There are some crucial aspects that you must consider when you work with SEA online marketing. 

Keywords

We’ve already mentioned the importance of keywords, but it deserves a reminder. Besides targeting specific keywords, you can also target locations, devices, and languages once you’ve collected data on your previous website visitors. 

You can monitor and discover which keywords work best for your company and optimise it based on that data. 

Bid price

You only need to pay every time a user clicks on your ad. This is also called CPC (Cost-Per-Click). You, as the advertiser, decide after considering your budget how much you’re prepared to pay for every click. If you can pay a high amount, you’re more likely to gain top placement in the search engine.  

Google keeps all the information and data that you might need in the future. Furthermore, Google will keep the advertisement until your budget is used up; you set your budget and how much it should be used daily or monthly. The actual CPC depends on the consumer demand. The more in-demand your products or services, the more each click will cost.  

How does it work for the user? Every time someone performs a search, the search engine evaluates the search and tries to match it with ads that are relevant to the user’s query. 

Ad relevance

The bid amounts you submit via PPC advertising can’t do the job alone. To get results, your ads must be relevant and eye-catching. If your ad is compelling and draws in users’ attention, people are much more likely to click.  

When drafting your ad, consider the headline, the display URL, your description text, and ad extensions. You can learn more about ad writing in our article about writing effective ad copy. 

Expected click through rate

The expected click-through rate is measured on how many impressions your ad gains (how many times the ad is run) and how many times users click on your ad. If your ads have a high click-through rate, your ad will score higher and be rated as very relevant. 

The landing page experience

Just like your ad copy, your landing page also needs to be engaging and relevant. You want the user to stick around after they’ve clicked on your ad. A well-designed landing page encourages visitors to browse your entire website and ultimately convert into customers. That’s the core reason for search engine advertising: generating new leads and growing your brand.  

Quality Score

Google has implemented a Quality Score to prevent low-quality ads from taking over search results simply because they are backed up by huge budgets. Quality Score is influenced by aspects such as the relevance of your ad, the quality of your landing page, and the overall structure of your campaign.  

If you run a well-organised SEA marketing campaign, create valuable content, and feature an eye-catching ad visual, you’ll achieve a higher Quality Score. This means the Cost Per Click (CPC) and your budget are not the only factors that matter. All the other five aspects above are incredibly important to consider when running a successful SEA campaign. 

The benefits of SEA marketing

If you apply the strategies outlined above, you can build a strong and effective SEA online marketing campaign. Done well, SEA offers a wide range of benefits and advantages that can drive growth for your business:  

Increase your traffic

SEA helps your website appear at the top of search results almost immediately. With well-crafted and eye-catching ads, you can attract users who are actively looking for your products. This means more visitors to your website, often those with a higher chance of making a purchase.  

Brand recognition

Even if users don’t click on your ad the first time they see it, consistently appearing at the top of the search results increases your visibility and strengthens brand awareness. Over time, you’ll increase your brand recognition and make visitors more likely to choose you when they’re ready to make a purchase.  

Conversion

A well-targeted SEA campaign reaches people at the exact moment they’re searching for what you offer. This makes them more likely to convert. The precise targeting options in platforms like Google Ads let you refine your audience and focus on users who are the most likely to become customers.  

Fast results

Unlike SEO, which can take months to show results, SEA delivers an almost immediate boost to your visibility. As soon as your campaign is live, your ads can appear in search results. This makes SEA an excellent option if you want to drive traffic and leads quickly. 

Data

One of the most valuable aspects of SEA is the data it provides. You can track impressions, clicks, conversion rates, and costs in detail. This lets you see what works so you can tweak and optimise based on data and refine your campaigns over time. By analysing the data, you can improve your performance and maximise your return on investment.

The value of Search Engine Advertising 

Search Engine Advertising (SEA) is a great way to reach potential customers at the exact moment they are searching for your products. By combining well-structured campaigns, relevant ads, and optimised landing pages, you can achieve immediate visibility, build brand recognition, and boost your conversion rate.